The world is watching AW18 closely because Australia offers the most challenging operating conditions for unmanned technologies. If they can make it here, they can make it anywhere. —- Commander Hornsby, Royal Australian Navy
Autonomous Warrior 2018 was a major demonstration and evaluation of the potential of robotic, autonomous and uninhabited systems, in support of Defence operations in coastal environments. It combined a dynamic exhibition, trials and exercising of in-service systems.
AOS deployed the Intelligent Watchdog (iWatchdog™) at Jervis Bay, tasking two vehicles, an autonomous Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat, or RHIB, and an autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle (UGV).
Northrop Grumman Undersea Systems RHIB equipped with AQS-24B towed sonar, operating at speed in Jervis Bay
The MVTS screenshot showing the stabilised view of the intruder from the RHIB (top left); the unstabilised view from the RHIB (bottom left); and the plan view with the relative positions of the RHIB and the intruder (right)
When iWatchdog™ received the track of an intruder vessel entering Jervis Bay it tasked the RHIB to intercept the intruder vessel and shadow it as it entered the Bay to carry out an arms-drop.
The RHIB was fitted with an ASV Global control system, and an onboard computer running iWatchdog™ received a tasking from the iWatchdog™ Multi-Vehicle Tasking Station (MVTS) on shore, determined the course to intercept and shadow. Realtime stabilised video of the intruder was provided by an Ocular Systems PTZ camera, transmitted back to the MVTS by the Silvus mesh radio link.
The MVTS screenshot showing the view of the intruding Land Rover from the view point of the Kelpie® (top left); The LiDAR of the Kelpie®, which forms part of its collision detection and avoidance system (bottom left); and the plan view with the relative positions of the intruder (marked in red) and the Kelpie® (marked in green) tracking the vehicle (right)
